Topic: Texters and Shushers

This was fun.

For some reason, it's not showing up on the front page right now, but this link works.

holden

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Okay, can we get a moratorium on calling what people do on phones "texting".

"Texting" (or sending SMS, as is the technical term) is not what you do on your phone 99.995% of the time. The only thing you do MORE seldom than text on your phone is calling.

What you do on your phone is googling, facebook/twitter/g+-ing, skype-chatting [closest thing to "texting"] etc. I.e. using data services.

And if a *store* blocks my data reception? Not going there in like ever. A movie theatre is fine (I hate the bright screen problem). But a store? (This "Trader Joe's" of which you speak). Sorry, but THERE my constitutional right to network(data) connectivity totally overrides anything in the galaxy, really. Would never be there ever. Sorry.

/Z

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Re: Texters and Shushers

What I do on my phone is texting, and voice calling.  It doesn't do anything else.   

brb, I'm off to Trader Joe's.

Re: Texters and Shushers

Maybe this is different coz in Sweden you pay per minute talking and are charged per text so you minimize that (with some special exception, like we have a family plan where in-family texts are free, we still use skype chat anyway coz texting is such an ancient technology, and not multi-platform, etc.)

/Z

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Re: Texters and Shushers

It's only a matter of time before someone posts this...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/films/code_of_conduct.jpg

not long to go now...

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Re: Texters and Shushers

MasterZap wrote:

Maybe this is different coz in Sweden you pay per minute talking and are charged per text so you minimize that (with some special exception, like we have a family plan where in-family texts are free, we still use skype chat anyway coz texting is such an ancient technology, and not multi-platform, etc.)

/Z

Most plans round here have a number of free texts per month, which most regular people wouldn't go over anyways. You even get this on pay as you go types, which is what I'm on. Whenever I see somebody on their phone, they are almost always texting.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

This was an interesting discussion. There are clearly people, particularly young people, who think that there should never be a time when they are not able to instantly communicate. That's probably going to overwhelm traditional taboos about such things at movie theaters, funerals, church, school, business meetings, and elsewhere, especially as technology makes it more and more possible to be connected during air travel and remote vacations and whatnot.

The concept of everyone in one place being truly present and in the moment is probably doomed.

/sound of cloister bells

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Texters and Shushers

Brave heart, Zarban.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Texting in a theater just doesn't make any sense to me. You paid for the opportunity to see a movie on the big screen. You can look at your phone any time FOR FREE (barring data charges, or whatever, but still.) Is it really so hard to watch the movie you just paid for without looking at your phone?

Talking is a different thing to me, though. Certain movies warrant it. Obviously I'd be annoyed by someone chit-chatting through The Act Of Killing or something, but I think that horror movies are all about the experience of seeing it with an audience. Part of the fun is how the audience interacts with the movie. It becomes a two-way street where movies normally aren't.

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Not only would I exclusively attend Faraday Cage Theatres, I'd become an investor.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Nice episode.

This texting discussion rhymes well with Werner Herzog PSA about texting and driving which also came out this weekend.

Am I the only one who thinks the Alamo Drafthouse voice message was almost too perfect? It hit all the right notes I would have wanted to hit in a viral video if I was making it (location, name of movie theater etc.).
I'm not saying it is fake for sure... but I would not be surprised if it came out later that this was manufactured in some way.

Also...
A professional Usher in the wild
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/fp/Usher+Usher+Suits+Up+in+NYC+2+lWQ15Cs_Xt8l.jpg

Last edited by AshDigital (2013-08-12 18:33:05)

---------------------------------------------
I would never lie. I willfully participate in a campaign of misinformation.

Re: Texters and Shushers

Great episode guys, although I never knew that texting in movies is a "serious issue".
Kinda offtopic:
You just made my day. Laying on the grass in my backyard, sunny afternoon, few beers and friends in my head. Perfect!  cool

Last edited by Scooperfield (2013-08-12 16:07:06)

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Re: Texters and Shushers

The idea that people who talk (& Text) at the theater go to a very special level of hell brings me alot of solace.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0zvzuxeoT1r588ldo1_400.png

"Life is about movies; anything else is a bonus!"- Me   cool

Re: Texters and Shushers

The only reasons theatres still exist (except as a specially thing) is that that have a cartel-like arrangement with content producers. If movies were invented now no-one would suggest travelling to a dark barn and watch a movie surrounded by strangers.

People texting etc (and the relatively modest investment to get a nice home presentation) is why I rarely do to the flicks anymore...

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Btw, all theatres in Sweden (that I know of, I should add) are assigned seating, and frown quite heavily on cell phones up during movies (they actually have cameras checking that, and if someone is waving one more than a quick look, they have come in and told 'em off, actually pausing the movie.

That said, if the theatre would prohibit me to be tweeting up to the *second* the main feature starts, or from the second the movie ends, I'll kick someone. I.e. I wouldn't want to sit in a "faraday cage" theatre.

Sorry.

Maybe I'm just more of a Net-o-holic than any of you guys, but it's my constitutioinal right to be online. (I think it has "human right" status in Sweden by now, or if not yet, it has soon).

/Z

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Re: Texters and Shushers

MasterZap wrote:

"Texting" (or sending SMS, as is the technical term) is not what you do on your phone 99.995% of the time. The only thing you do MORE seldom than text on your phone is calling.

The primary function of my phone is for texting, the only reason I use the actual phone part more than once a month lately is because of my new job.

My plan gives me unlimited texting, but I have to pay per mb of data, they are in fact 2 separate things. Which is why I try to not use my data as much as possible.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Texters and Shushers

BigDamnArtist wrote:
MasterZap wrote:

"Texting" (or sending SMS, as is the technical term) is not what you do on your phone 99.995% of the time. The only thing you do MORE seldom than text on your phone is calling.

The primary function of my phone is for texting, the only reason I use the actual phone part more than once a month lately is because of my new job.

My plan gives me unlimited texting, but I have to pay per mb of data, they are in fact 2 separate things. Which is why I try to not use my data as much as possible.

That's the thing - here it is the reverse. I have flat rate data. I pay $10 a month for 5 Gb, and when that runs out, it just slows down (from 6 mbit to 0.3 mbit), doesn't actually stop. I don't know of a flat rate texting plan ....tho I have free "in family" texting,  I never use it much at all, with a few tiny exceptions. The benefit of using skype chatting is that it reaches me (or anyone in the family) wether one is on the  phone or on a computer.

A thought: At a 10 cents per text you are paying $7000 per megabyte....

/Z

Last edited by MasterZap (2013-08-12 19:12:54)

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Re: Texters and Shushers

MasterZap wrote:

What you do on your phone is googling, facebook/twitter/g+-ing, skype-chatting [closest thing to "texting"] etc. I.e. using data services.

I don't, I can't, so I text and call. Although due to having no money for credit, these days my mobile is used as an alarm clock.

Not everyone has some sort of smart phone smile

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Re: Texters and Shushers

I have a smartphone and it is basically an alarm clock.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

heh, I forgot that one - I use my phone as an alarm clock, too.  So that's three uses. 

My phone (supposedly) has the ability to use the web and check email and such, but I've been careful never to turn that on.  I can't fully decipher the terms of service but I'm pretty sure the first megabyte of data will cost me three billion dollars.  So, no thanks.

Re: Texters and Shushers

phone calls, text messages and a loud alarm clock. That's all I need my phone for. None of this always online, constantly updating, 'would you like to add a location to this tweet' bullshit.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

Great episode for sure, guys.

As a general matter, I'm not opposed to douchebag screenings, mommy screenings, or any other screening for people who are prone to cause distraction. (Older people with hearing aids often have no clue how loud they're actually speaking.) If a theatre owner wants to offer that as a clearly labeled product, great, free market, yadda yadda. People will still be using their phones in the normal screenings. Because they think it's their right to do so. Thus they don't regard it as a breach of etiquette. Which is why you're the asshole, you shusher.

It's up to the theatres, I feel. A PSA during the trailers that tells people to shut up and not use their phone gets routinely ignored at my local multiplexes. What works is the ninja thing. Okay, not quite ninjas, but vigilance  and policing by theater staff. The airlines have got it down: They tell you, hey, we're about to land, put away all electronic devices and sit the fuck down. If they spot you not doing that, you're promptly and politely asked to comply. Because that's how we roll when the plane is about to land. Period. (This is why I love the Arclight-style places. The Music Box in Chicago had a 70mm festival a while back, and before screenings the manager would not only introduce the film but explicitly warn people: my team and I are stationed on that elevated area near the projection booth and elsewhere; if we see a smartphone light, or other disturbance, we're going to pounce and probably embarrass you; so if you need to use a phone, please leave the theatre. The knowledge that someone's watching specifically to make sure I don't use my iPhone, really does the trick.)

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Re: Texters and Shushers

As a point of fact, what I've seen at the local Cinemark is that they actually have a custom app that you can download for free and run on your phone. It makes sure that your phone won't ring or be in use, and if you leave it running for the duration of the movie, you get a coupon for a discount on popcorn/tickets/etc.
It's a pretty clever solution

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24

Re: Texters and Shushers

Hey if the app/coupon thing is effective at keeping people from using their smartphones/alarm clocks, I'm all for it. They should also include a free e-book by Emily Post.

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Re: Texters and Shushers

bullet3 wrote:

As a point of fact, what I've seen at the local Cinemark is that they actually have a custom app that you can download for free and run on your phone. It makes sure that your phone won't ring or be in use, and if you leave it running for the duration of the movie, you get a coupon for a discount on popcorn/tickets/etc.
It's a pretty clever solution

Yeah, that actually is a really good idea.

I never understood the constant connection thing though I would like to have internet on my phone. But, my calls, texts and alarms, and really that's all I "need" it for.

There is nothing so important online (for me) that it can't wait the couple of hours for me to get home to my computer, where I can much quicker at responses, actually articulate my thoughts (not the awful auto correct speech) and I can use real words.

Sorry, I have a bit of a pet peeve with texting short hand and the like.

Last edited by fireproof78 (2013-08-13 03:09:46)

God loves you!

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